J & S Franklin Ltd2009-09-15 08:24:39

DefenCell LITE Revolutionises Personal Protection for the Infantryman

For generations soldiers have been 'digging-in' using entrenching tools, sandbags and any other available materials in an effort to provide themselves and their comrades with some form of personal protection on the battlefield.

Whether it was a shell-scrape to provide temporary protection overnight at the end of a long day's march, simply to be filled in or abandoned in the morning, or building a defensive position that may have to last days or even weeks. It has long been the toil of the infantryman to make something out of nothing, armed with no more than their hands, a digging tool and maybe a sandbag or two!

The problem's worse in dry, arid or mountainous areas such as Afghanistan and Iraq where the rocky and sandy terrain makes digging-in impossible leaving the infantry with no choice but to build above ground bunkers or 'sangers' from whatever materials are available.

DefenCell LITE is about to change all that! LITE (Lightweight Individual Tactical Emplacement) is the latest version of the Defencell Force Protection System. Lightweight and with a low pack volume (an unfilled unit fits in the same space as a full sandbag), it is easily stored and moved. When filled, that same unit makes a wall section 3.2 m long, 0.6 m high and 0.7 m wide, equivalent to about 90 sandbags.

The LITE can be filled with material ranging from earth and sand through to rocks up to about 20 cm in diameter. This makes it particularly suitable for mountainous or dry arid areas. Independently tested, a single width will protect against small arms up to 0.5" and 14.5 mm in calibre, as well as a fragmenting weapons. Individual units can be stacked to make higher walls and placed alongside each other to provide greater protection levels.

It can be quickly filled by hand, with shovels or with any form of mechanical equipment.

Unlike sandbags, the LITE needs no tamping or specific building techniques: simply fill it and compact by treading. The all-textile construction means no secondary fragmentation from metal or plastic components and no RF interference. It can be dropped from height with no likelihood of damage making it ideal for remote locations.